Protestors lined the street to the Magistrate’s Court before the bail hearing/Sandun Arosha for RepublicNext

Before the case began protest was held along the route to
the Magistrate’s Court which included a group of Buddhist Monks.

Reporters at the scene said that the demonstration was organized
by local Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna leaders and that some of the protestors
were employees of the Kurunegala Municipal Council.

Security was tightened around the court as the verdict was
given.

Hundreds of women have come
forward and lodged complaints at the Kurunegala Hospital saying they were
subjected to surgical operations – most often cesarean sections – by Dr. Shafi
and have not had children since.

However, when they were called
for examinations, the number went down to 71. When Doctors wanted to examine
the husbands of the complainants to ensure they are fertile, the number of
women has reduced further.

The CID has obtained a court
order forcing hospital director Dr. A.M.S. Weera Bandara to cooperate with
their investigation.

Bandara is known to be an
activist for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. He is being accused of trying to
scuttle the probe.

Dr. Shafi is a Senior House
Officer at the hospital. He has performed thousands of caesarian sections on
women in Kurunegala and Dambulla where he served for some time.

The Magistrate is also under a cloud. The CID
has sent a complaint against Magistrate Hewawasam to the acting Inspector General
of Police C D Wickremaratne to be lodged before the Judicial Services
Commission (JSC), Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunesekara told RepublicNext
today July 25.

Gunesekara confirmed that the
complaint had reached the IGP and further action is expected shortly.

The CID becomes the third
complainant against Magistrate Hewawasam, who is hearing the case against Dr
Shafi who is embroiled in charges that he rendered hundreds of women infertile
against their will while performing caesarian sections.

The other complainants are Dr
Shafi’s wife, Dr Imara Shafi and the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association.